Letter from the Editor: New Takes on Familiar Favorites

2020 is finally over, but we’re still craving comfort

In app

Devan Grimsrud

Food Editor at Kitchen Stories

www.instagram.com/devan.grimsrud/

Our collective interest in self-improvement and shiny new personal goals is never sharper than at the beginning of each new year, but after the whirlwind that was 2020—where just about nothing went as planned—it’s no wonder that many of us now find ourselves thinking a bit differently. As enticing as a fresh New Year’s resolution might be, the past year was tough, and we all deserve the chance to turn to our creature comforts guilt-free for making it through. With that in mind, here at Kitchen Stories we’ve cooked up some lightly reinvented classic recipes to ease into 2021. Whether it’s a new ingredient or unheard-of variation, this month’s recipes are all about familiarity with just the right amount of reinvention.

We’ll look into the pantry for inspiration and set ourselves up for success with brand new bean and lentil recipes to use up any leftover stockpiles from lockdowns past. To get us through the colder months, we’ll down the foundations of delicious noodle soups so you can master them at home. On the menu, too, are new renditions of a few old-school classics—think stuffy French favorite chicken tarragon and boring granola. And, finally, we’ll give a few last lines to the year that we’d rather forget and revisit some of our greatest hits from 2020.

If you’re looking forward to easing into the year with these new takes, save this article and check back each week to see what’s new—we’ll be updating and adding links to our latest recipes and articles throughout the month. In the meantime, what are your favorite reinventions of classic recipes? Let us know in the comments below!

— Our Greatest Hits of 2020
— Recipes to Make Use of the Forgotten Lentils in Your Pantry
— 20 Fast, Nourishing Recipes for the New Year
— French Chicken Tarragon Gets a Japanese Twist
— Your 14 Favorite Chicken Dishes—Made Meatless
— Community Collection: The Best of the Best From 2020
— The Noodle Soup That Saves Any Weeknight
— 22 Recipes That Showcase the Versatility of Chicken